Creeper construction



Sept. 15, 1931.

E. T. BREEDEN- 1,823,526

CREEPER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 25, 1929 Patented Sept. 15, 1931 STATESPATENT OFFICE EDWARD T. BREEDEN, OF FORT DODGE, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF T 0. I. HOBSON onnnrnn consrnuo'rron Application filed November25, 1929. Serial No. 409,561.

0 with upwardly bent portions adjacent each of its corners to provide aninverted pocket at each corner in which arelatively large caster wheelmay be secured.

A further object is to provide an under- 115 slung creeper of thischaracter whereby the floor of the creeper is positioned quite close tothe floor on which the automobile is resting so as to give plenty ofroom for the mechanic beneath the automobile when lying on the creeper.

Another object is to provide a creeper frame formed of angle iron or thelike comprising end members and side members each end of each memberbeing bent upwardly for forming the caster reception pockets at thecorners of the creeper.

A further object is to provide a creeper floor of sheet metal havingcorners notched to clear the pockets at the corners of the creeperframe.

Still a further object is to provide openings in the creeper floor atthe side of the creeper frame for convenience in carrying the creeperfrom one position to another.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of mydevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the creep er construction.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the creeper; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

angle 'bar or other suitable material formed into side members and endmembers 12.

Adjacent each end of the side member 10 the member is bent upwardly asindicated at 14 to form an elevated portion 16. Each end of each endmember is likewise bent up as at 18 to form an elevated portion 20. Theportions '16 and 20 form elevated pockets into whichcasters.22,preferably of the'ball bearing swivel type, can be secured.The bases 24 of casters 22 are secured to corner plates 26 by bolts orrivets 28. Two of the bolts or rivets 28 on each corner plate 26 serveto hold the corner plate in position with respect to the frame A.

The edges of the plates 26 are welded to the frame A and the corners ofthe frame itself are welded together after being bent from a singlepiece of angle iron having V notches cut in one of its flanges.

Thus a frame A having comparatively low sides and ends which are formedat the corners to provide pockets to receive casters 22 suiiicientlylarge to support a mechanic which without the underslung feature wouldhave to be very small in order to make the floor B of the creeper lowenough for practical purposes. The underslung feature isespeciallydesirable since balloon tires and low built automobile bodieshave come on the market. The creeper floor B consists of a sheet ofmetal having its corners cut away as indicated at 30 and having flanges32 and 34 bent over the downwardly extending flanges of the frame A,asbest shown at 36 in Figure 4:.

Hand hold openings 38 are provided in the floor B and the edges of theseopenings are I bent under as indicated at 40 so that there is no rawmetal edge around the openings. The flanges 32 and 34 of the creeperfloor B may be spot welded as indicated at 42 to the frame A. Thecut-away corners 30 may be reinforced by doubling a flange 44 on eachone underneath the floor B.

From the description of my invention it will be obvious that anefficient and strong creeper is provided from very few parts,

which are easily assembled together. Preferably a head rest 46 isprovided which can be of leather or other suitable padded construction.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofmy invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modifiedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may bereasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a creeper construction, a frame consisting of side members and endmembers, each of said members being bent upwardly adjacent its endswhereby the corner portions of said frame form inverted pockets, casterssecured to said frame within said pockets and a sheet covering for saidframe having its corners cut away to accommodate said pockets, saidcovering having downwardly directed flanges at its sides and endsextending' over said frame and secured thereto.

2. A creeper frame comprising angle iron side and end members, each ofsaid members being bent upwardly at its ends to form corner pockets andcasters secured in said pockfii' ets whereby the major portion of saidframe is underslung, and a sheet covering for said frame, said coveringhaving hand hold openings and being folded for reinforcing the peripheryof said openings.

Des Moines, Iowa. October 31, 1929.

EDWARD T. BREEDEN.

